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World Oceans Day

  • by JW

And the launch of the Joanna Toole Foundation

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Today has been a big day for the seas:

World Oceans Day

World Oceans Day – Uniting Ocean Action Worldwide on 8 June 2020

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With evernts around the world:

Celebrate World Oceans Day From Home With the UN This Monday – EcoWatch

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And the Sidmouth Plastic Warriors putting on a carefully organised beach clean yesterday:

Well done to the small (because it had to be) groups of warriors who helped clean the beach and surrounds yesterday.

Sidmouth Plastic Warriors

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In Exmouth, today also saw the launch of

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Joanna Toole Foundation – the Launch Newsletter – June ’20
Friends & family, this is from Adrian Toole, Chair of the Joanna Toole Foundation (JTF). As promised, this is the fourth in an occasional newsletter series timed to tell you about a special occasion on Monday

There is a GDPR-compliant sign-up option on our Website, however I’m sure that there are people who would like to be in contact but missed the opportunity so please forward this to anyone and everyone.
Bad taste, I know!
Official Launch on World Oceans Day, Monday June 8th
Thanks to all the trustees, advisors, Jerome the Webmaster, & Willem Olenski video editor we are preparing to launch the charity and the 2020 round of the Joanna Toole Annual Ghost Gear Solutions Award as a virtual event on World Oceans Day June 8th – Monday.

We would have liked to make this a real event because there is much to celebrate but it’s not possible. So it’s had to be done through our Website and publicised by our many supporters including Jo fan, Secretary of State for the Environment, Lord Goldsmith:
Please take a few minutes anytime Monday and check-out his video and lots of other endorsements:

Joanna Toole Foundation website

 
Joanna Toole Ghost Gear Solutions Award
On Monday the 2020 Round of the Joanna Toole Ghost Gear Solutions Award will open for applications. Details of this and other grant opportunities are on our website
Our Intern has Started
In recognition of Jo’s leading role in addressing Ghost Gear and in celebration of Jo’s legacy and dedication to her work, the GGGI, in close consultation with its members, with Joanna’s family, and her friends has established and funded the Joanna Toole Internship. This position will continue the work of the GGGI in inspiring generations to come to protect our oceans from Ghost Gear and will encourage female leaders in pursuing a career in ocean conservation.

The Joanna Toole Internship is sponsored by OceanCare, hosted by Ocean Conservancy, and formally awarded through the Joanna Toole Foundation together with the GGGI.

193 hopefuls applied, which indicates how much need there is for such opportunities and the successful candidate is Jenna Schwerzmann, who although she has not been able to start on the field-work experience, has started her internship. You may read her story here:

Jenna’s blog

OceanCare

GGGI

Center for Coastal Studies

Ocean Conservancy
We’ve Finally Managed…
May seem a no-brainer but amongst all the other preparations, we’ve finally managed to get a bank account through the wonderful Charities Aid Foundation, CAF.

This has meant that we can start to deposit funds that will include those cash sums given to our Chair but which he’s been unable to deposit until now. Those cash donors are listed here by initials only but you know who you are:

T s J, T B, N&J H, D A, JP.

Also thanks to those 42 who have contributed to the Just Giving page. Having reached the target of £3000, we’ve closed this donations portal down now. Up until now, your donations have been routed to World Animal Protection for the Joanna Toole Ghost Gear Solutions award. The best of causes obviously but that is being funded for two more years by World Animal Protection and with the Joanna Toole Foundation about to launch formally on Monday, we’ve decided to direct further donations into our own account. On our website below.

Anyone who wants to discuss financially supporting Jo’s charity. please talk to me or any of the Trustees.
And Finally –
Although not a responsibility of the Joanna Toole Foundation, I thought you’d like to know that I’ve not given up on physical memorials to Jo both in Exmouth and at the crash site in Ethiopia; the latter project is mired in bureaucracy and politics but I have 156 other bereaved families pushing with me at the closed doors!

The modest Exmouth memorial has now got the backing of County Councillors and looks likely to get the go-ahead for construction early next year. Here is an artist’s mock-up:
We intend to improve the bench and its surroundings. The image doesn’t do the setting; the view from the proposed bench being the expanse of the magnificent Exe Estuary. The significance of the location on the Exe Estuary Trail, is that this was one of Jo’s early-morning running routes. Next year we will organise a Fun Run past the bench.
Contact Us
You will find an ‘unsubscribe’ option at the foot of this mailing.

Please note that as a grant-making charity, the trustees do not work on this full-time so may take a little time to get back to you. Also we are now operating as a .org rather than a .com so please note new contact details.

We have a new Twitter account @JoannaTooleFdn

https://twitter.com/intent/use…

but @BeMoreJo will continue.

We also have a YouTube channel that will be live tomorrow.

Best wishes Adrian
Joanna Toole Foundation

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Joanna Toole Foundation – the Launch Newsletter – June 2020